Hungarian Studies Newsletter, 1980 (8. évfolyam, 23-26. szám)
1980 / 25. szám
MJ / vl I AMGRICÄN HUNGARIAN FOUNDATION HUNGARIAN STUDIES NEWSLETTER BOOKS Berend, Iván T. and György Ránki. UNDERDEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH; Studies in Hungarian Social and Economic History. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadd, 1979. 299 pages, tables. $25.00 cloth. The volume is a collection of 15 economic-historical essays. Four were written by Berend, 3 by Ra'nki, and 8 were of joint authorship. Most of the studies were published earlier in Hungarian. Some have appeared in various other language journals. The essays concern themselves with Hungarian economic development during the past 200 years, and view the process against the background of economic change in Europe during the same period of time. The first group of studies deals with the rise of capitalism in the Austro- Hungarian Monarchy; the second group is about the economic history of the interwar period; and the third concerned itself with the economic and social transformation brought about after World War II. Some of the essays elaborate on theoretical and methodological problems, others try to indicate the economic and non-economic determinants of Hungarian economic development, i.e. what role environmental factors peculiar to East Central Europe played in the direction and extent of development. In the last three paragraphs of Berend’s concluding essay on current economic policy, cognitive and psychological factors (but not cultural factors) are discussed. He states that these factors are independent variables and “as such, they tend to live beyond the causes that gave them life.” Berend is head of the department of economic history, Karl Marx U. of Economics; and Ránki is deputy director of the Institute of Historical Research, HAS. Recently, Ránki was appointed to the Hungarian Chair at Indiana U. Csikos-Nagy, B(ela). TOWARDS A NEW PRICE REVOLUTION. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó', 1979. 190 pages, tables, diagrams. $16.50 cloth. The author focuses on the causes of rising prices. Investigating the secular price movements of 700 years (from 1275 to 1975), he sheds light on the laws of price movements. Three “episodes” of price history are highlighted: the price revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries as related to the emergence of the capitalist mode of production; the trend of price decreases in the 19th century as related to the industrial revolution; and the inflationary trends of the present. The chapter on price trends in socialist economy, describes price trends in the Soviet Union, and the price stabilizing policies of socialist countries. A chapter on the cost of economic growth deals with the humanization of the economy and with prospects of the future. The author challenges the validity of the law of diminishing returns and relates the tendency of increasing prices of natural resources (Continued on Page 2) No. 25, Autumn, 1980, Hungorion Studies Newsletter COLLABORATIVE MEDICAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING During the past decade Semmelweis Medical U. and the U. of Pennsylvania engaged in joint research projects under the leadership of Drs. Britton Chance and Martin Reivich, (U. of Penna.) and Dr. Arisztid, G.B. Kova'ch (Semmelweis U.). There have been frequent exchanges of scholars and investigators through this collaborative research endeavor, which inspired the leadership of both institutions to explore the possibility of developing formal affiliation. Thereupon, an agreement was signed between the two institutions for collaboration in scientific research, medical education, and study of health care delivery. The agreement, signed on August 30, 1977, said that the two universities “recognized the importance of strengthening the scientific links between Hungary and the United States and wished to foster friendly and constructive contacts between ourtwo countries for the benefit of science in the area of medicine.” The agreement included provisions for the exchange of scientific publications and reports, collaborative research projects, medical education, study of the reorganization of medical schools into disciplines, an exchange of published summary reports of current scientific and educational activities within each medical school. Coordinators for the agreement were appointed as follows: Dr. Kovach, prof, of physiology (Hungary) and Dr. Philip Mechanick, prof, of psychiatry (US.). The formal affiliation was celebrated in Philadelphia on April 30,1979, in the presence of Ferenc Antoni, then rector of Semmelweis U., Martin Meyerson, president, Edward J. Stemmier, dean of the School of Medicine, U. of Pennsylvania, and Ferenc Esztergályos, Hungarian ambassadorto the U.S., and representatives of the U.S. State Deartment, and the International Communication Agency. Dr. Meyerson noted that the agreement will “enhance our views on medical research and the delivery of health care.” Dr. Mechanick said that the agreement already had resulted in several faculty exchanges and that “it binds the two institutions together in a spirit of mutual interest and involvement. Semmelweis U. becomes in effect our sister institution in the medical area.” During the past year, the affiliation has been further strengthened by exchanges of clinicians and researchers between the two universities. In September 1980, Dr. Kovách will be bringing a team of ten Hungarian scientists to the U. of Pennsylvania to work in a collaborative research project fora two year period with Dr. Reivich and his group. The above report was provided to HSN by Dr. Mechanick. For further information write to Philip Mechanick, M.D., Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 919 Gates Pavilion, Philadelphia, PA 19104; or to Dr. Arisztid G.B. Kovach, Experimental Research Department, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Üllői-út 78/a. Hungary 1082.
